Night Adventure
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: [pre-divorce] Matt and TK have a little night adventure when neither of them can get to sleep one night.


**A/N:** Written for Miss Anonymous Hp through the Secret Bunnies Gift Exchange on the Digimon Fanfiction Challenges Forum (link's in my profile). The beginning came out a little angstier than I intended, but I hope you enjoy it. :D

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**Night Adventure**

Matt couldn't be upset at TK for waking him in the middle of the night again; he wasn't really asleep in the first place, just curled under the blankets with his eyes closed and counting backwards as though going under anaesthetics. It wasn't working though, and when he tried to imagine sheep they came out looking like cotton balls, so he didn't bother this time around.

So when TK opened his door with a near-silent creak, he gave up the farce and sat up. 'Can't sleep?' he whispered, voice sounding unnaturally loud in the silence.

TK, still a crybaby at four, sniffed and nodded. Matt just held out his arms, letting his little brother snuggle into them. TK did, settling on his brother's lap and clumsily covering the both of them with the blankets. Matt fixed them, though it wasn't cold enough to need the blankets anyway. He had his window open even, and no cold air was blowing in.

They just sat like that for a while. Usually, Matt would get the story of the nightmare that woke TK up from him, reassure him in as few words as possible, maybe sing a song or two, then send him back off to bed. But that night, they were both quiet, scared of making too much noise in the silent house. And not just that night: the last few months, when the house wasn't warm and filled with love and laughter anymore. When their parents spent most afternoons fighting or ignoring each other. When TK hid in his brother's bedroom more often because the noise and atmosphere scared him. When Matt grew quieter and tiptoed around doors and stopped playing his harmonica in the halls because any sound in the new silence was like nails on a chalkboard.

But that meant they could only snuggle together in the warmth of his bed and enjoy each other's company. Because he'd heard TK's shuffling footsteps through the closed door, and his whisper had echoed through the room and to the hallway beyond. He felt like the harmonica music would resonate through the house – and the last time he'd played it it had led to an argument between his parents about the choice of toys for their sons.

Neither of them wanted to provoke their parents when they walked on eggshells, so they tried to be quiet. But Matt couldn't get to sleep, with or without TK snuggled into his hip. And TK tried to go back to sleep as well, but he let out a whimper about ten minutes later and shook himself awake.

Just a few months ago, those whimpers had been loud screams from a nightmare. It wasn't fear, Matt thought. TK was four. He shouldn't have to hide his nightmares. He shouldn't have to stay awake afterwards.

Sometimes, just sitting together helped. But there'd been one night they'd both lain awake under the blankets, TK playing with his hair and hands and Matt just staring at his ceiling. This night was shaping up to be another just like that.

Matt sighed as noiselessly as he could, shuffling a little so he could see the moon through his window. It hung low in the sky: round and bright and bathing the park beyond their house in white. There was barely any wind, so the trees stood still, aglow from the light of the moon.

'Let's go to the park,' Matt whispered.

TK's eyes snapped open almost in alarm. 'We'll be in so much trouble,' he whispered back.

'We won't; we'll sneak out the window.' Matt's room had a low window, and it was opened wide enough for both of them to slip out if they wanted to. 'I'll play you a song,' he wheedled, when TK still looked reluctant.

That convinced his little brother, and they put on their slippers and snuck out as quietly as they could. Matt went first, to help his brother. He held his hand as they crossed the road, and didn't let go until they were standing in the middle of the park together.

There wasn't anyone else around, and Matt grinned for what felt like the first time in weeks. 'We should have done this earlier,' he said, before grabbing TK's hand again. 'Let's go on the swings.'

TK loved the swings, and he loved playing in the park with his brother. He quickly forgot it was night, that he should have been fast asleep. He forgot about his nightmare. He forgot about that stifling atmosphere in the house – and even Matt, older and wiser, forgot for a bit as they played around until they were tired, then sat on the bench together.

TK put his head on his brother's shoulder. 'You promised me a song,' he reminded sleepily, now feeling tired and relaxed. He still wanted to hear his brother's singing though; it was the perfect thing to fall asleep to. Even better than the harmonica.

Matt smiled, less tired and sleepy than his brother, and obliged. The soft lyrics hovered under the moon and a small smile spread across TK's mouth as he snuggled closer to his brother and closed his eyes.

Somewhere in the second chorus of "Be All Right", his brother was comfortably asleep. Matt snuck a peak at his watch and decided they could stay out a little more before he snuck then both back inside, and took out his harmonica.

The night air was filled with music again as he closed his eyes and played. But it wasn't as innocent as the song, as carefree; TK was asleep and didn't need cheering up or a sweet lullaby, and he couldn't just go to sleep and forget everything. It had been a fun adventure, but it would come to an end. I wouldn't change the atmosphere in their house, or the way their parents were arguing.

But, at least, they'd gotten away from it for a little bit.


End file.
